ghtened brace of women, mother and housemaid, busily hindered her
skilled fingers in bathing and bandaging the cut. It was not long before
the bleeding was stanched, the patient soothed and comforted and the
maid had gone for the doctor. Meanwhile the mother, too, had made her
demand, "Who--who could have done this?" And to every such query there
was but one answer, "Jimmy Dwight."

"Surely not on purpose!" ventured Priscilla, in the interest of peace,
truth, and justice, only to receive with vehement emphasis the
to-be-expected answer of the stung, angered, and irresponsible child.

"He _did_, I tell you! We were racin', an'--an' when I was gettin' past
him, he just whacked me with all his might."

The boys had all disappeared, when presently Priscilla again came forth,
homeward bound. They had swarmed over to the stables, where some troop
horses had broken away from their herd, and were having a hilarious time
of it, but one or two little girls were slowly returning, and to the
foremost of these Priscilla addressed herself for information. Was Jimmy
Dwight with the other boys? Yes, he had only come out a few minutes ago.
Had they seen how Georgie Thornton was hurt? They had not. _They_ had
started with the foremost, and George and Jimmy had run back after a
ball, and so got behind. But presently came Kitty Blair, and Kitty _had_
seen. Tiring of the chase she had dropped out as the last boys went
bounding by her, and Jimmy Dwight was swinging his jacket, and he just
slashed Georgie Thornton right in the face with it. Yes, she was sure.
Millie Cross had seen it, too, and had run home to tell her mother.

Thoughtfully, with downcast eyes, Priscilla retraced her steps. Orderly
and mess call were sounding now, and with a start she remembered that
this was the moment set by Sandy for her explanation as to the clipping,
and, glancing up in sudden fright, she found standing at the doorway,
the accusing papers in hand, not her cousin, but her cousin's mother,
her hostess and her benefactress--Marion Ray.

CHAPTER IX

AN INVITATION--TO GO

Between early morning drills and the fact that Jimmy was now quite big
and old enough to look after himself, the father's supervision of the
morning tub, rub, and toilet had ceased, and there was but time for a
hug and a word before the major swallowed his solitary cup of coffee,
swung into saddle, and trotted away. On this eventful morning he had
kept his men at their work rat